Store illuminating device



1933- H. D. THOMPSON 1,922,786

STORE ILLUMINATING DEVICE Filed Feb. 11, 1932 IZ Z3 jnvknfoz 5 i Harp/M1T/mmpdm Patented Aug. 15, 1933 PATENT OFFICE STORE ILLUMINATING DEVICEHarold D. Thompson, Cincinnati, Ohio, assignor to Piggly WigglyCorporation, Cincinnati, Ohio, a Corporation of Delaware ApplicationFebruary 11, 1932. Serial No. 592,411

3 Claims.

This invention relates to the illumination of stores and store fixturesand particularly to means for illuminating columns and cornices in thestores.

The object of the invention is to provide new and improved lightingarrangements which will better illuminate the store and hence give thecommodities on display in the store a more attractive appearance to thecustomers.

Referring to the accompanying drawing which is made a part hereof and onwhich similar reference characters indicate similar parts,

Figure l is a vertical section of the device taken on line :ca: ofFigure 2,

Figure 2, a front elevation of a portion of the device, and

Figure 3, a vertical section of a modified form of the invention.

Referring to Figure 1, numeral .10 indicates a support which may be ablock which is attached to a wall of the building by means of bolts 11.To this block is secured a box consisting of preferably a sheet ironback 12 and a sheet iron top 13. The top 13 may preferably haveventilating openings 14 therein. The front of the box is provided withpanel supporting means 15 which may and preferably are formed of strapiron. Secured to these supports are a number of reflecting panels orelements 16. These elements are positioned horizontally and one abovethe other and are formed with a concave surface on one side and a convexsurface on the other. These reflecting elements are preferably made ofsome highly polished metal, one example of such metal being aluminum. Atthe rear of these reflecting elements is a glass panel 17. This panedmay be secured to the supporting strips 15 by means of a clamp 18 at thetop of the panel and may be held between the lower end of the support 15and a portion 19 of the frame work of the box. A metal strip 20 ispreferably secured to the lower edge of the front side of the box andthis strip is shaped in any desired artistic manner so that in frontview it will harmonize with the curved reflecting elements 16. A panel21 formed preferably of glass which has been ground to make itnon-transparent but translucent is positioned on ledges 22 so that itmay be lifted out to permit access to the box. A lamp socket 23 issecured within the box and is so secured by means of a nut 24 as topermit it to be rotated to any desired angle to positiona lamp in anydesired angular position within the box. The ends of the reflectingelements may be secured on any suitable supports and between these endsimmediately in front of them there is provided a number of artistic caps26. The only purpose of these caps is to set off in an artistic mannerthe reflecting elements 16. y

In operation lights are positioned within the lamp sockets at the rearof the reflecting elements. By means of these surfaces the light isdeflected against the concave front surfaces of the reflecting elementsimmediately above them. These latter surfaces deflect the light towardthe front of the fixtures, the light also shines through the groundglass panels 21 and is diffused through the openings 14 in the top 13.The front glass panels 17 may be colored as desired. One pleasing effectmay be given the store fixture by making these panels of green cathedralglass. Glass of any suitable color, however, may be used depending onthe taste of the decorator or on the color scheme in the store and thecolor of the furniture. When positioned around a store the lightingeffect above the goods on display as well as the lighting effect on theceiling adjacent the wall and on the wall will be such as to offsetcommodities on sale resulting in leaving a very pleasant impression onthe customers mind.

In Figure 3 is shown a modified form of the invention which is adaptedespecially for use around columns. As here shown it is particularlyadapted for use about square columns but obviously could be applied toround columns without changing the principle of the invention. As hereshown the rear plate 27 of the box is secured to a column 28. A lampsocket 29 is adjustably secured to the plate 27. A suitable support 30is attached to the rear wall of the box, this support preferably beingformed of a strap iron or some other suitable material. Furthermoreportions 31 are secured to the front of the supports 30 and supportingelements 32 are secured to the supports 30. To the latter supportingelements are secured light deflecting panels 33, these panels may andpreferably are formed oi highly polished aluminum. At the rear of thepanels is secured a glass panel 34 which in the instance of the formshown in Figure 1 may be made of green cathedral glass or in anysuitable translucent material. A glass cover plate 35 may be placed uponthe supports 30. A mirror 36 is preferably secured just beneath thelight fixture just described and is secured in position by means ofsuitable polished metal strips 37. These strips may and preferably areformed of Monel metal or any other highly polishable artistic metalbinder.

In use this form of the invention serves to illuminate columns in thestore. The cover plate 35 is preferably formed of frosted glass so as tobe translucent but non-transparent, the effect of which will be totransmit a difiused light to the upper portions of the columns in thestore as well as to illuminate the ceiling adjacent the upper ends ofthe columns. The column lighting arrangement when used together with thecornice lighting arrangement serves to form a highly pleasing lightingarrangement for a store.

While the lighting arrangements described may be used with any kind of astore they have been worked out particularly with a view to their use ingrocery stores in which counters containing the vegetables and othercommodities on display may be illuminated so as to cause them to presenta more pleasing appearance than has been possible heretofore in poorlylighted stores.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes maybe made in my device without departing from the spirit of the inventionand therefore I do not limit myself to what is shown in the drawing anddescribed in the specification, but only as indicated by the appendedclaims.

Having thus fully described my said invention, What I claim as new anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. An illuminating device of the kind described comprising a box havinga plurality of lights mounted therein, said box having a ventilatedcover plate and a bottom plate consisting of a frosted glass panel, acolored glass panel positioned in front of said lights and extendingthroughout the length of the box, and a plurality of concave convexdeflecting panels positioned in front of said last named panel,substantially as set forth.

2. An illuminating device of the kind described comprising a box havinga plurality of lamps mounted therein, a translucent panel forming thetop of the box, a colored translucent panel forming the front of the boxand a plurality of convex-concave light deflecting elements positionedin front of the last named panel adapted to cut off the downwardlydirected rays and to deflect them upwardly, substantially as set forth.

3. An illuminating device of the kind described comprising a box havinglamps mounted therein, a light-diffusing panel forming the top of thebox, a colored translucent panel forming the front of the box, and aplurality of convex-concave light deflecting elements positioned infront of the last named panel adapted to cut off 'the downwardlydirected rays and to .deflect them upwardly, substantially as set forth.

HAROLD D. THOMPSON.

